Practice question

MCQ

Question

A researcher sets up ten large outdoor tanks, each containing the same amount of algae and the same number of guppies (herbivorous fish). In five of these tanks, she also adds gourami fish, which are predators of guppies. Tanks were covered in mesh so no new species could enter. After 2 months, the researcher counted the number of guppies and gouramies, and measured the amount of algae. She found that the amount of algae was much higher in the tanks with gourami fish compared to those without gourami fish. Which one of the following processes best explains the differences in amounts of algae between these tanks?

Options

Choose one · Correct answer highlighted

Competition-colonisation trade-off Competitive exclusion principle Interference competition Trophic cascade Correct

Explanation

Mechanistically, evolutionary adaptation involves selection and population dynamics shape traits. This validates Trophic cascade because it explains adaptive diversity, a pattern repeatedly demonstrated in ecology and evolution research. This mechanism is extensively documented and reinforced by experimental data across multiple model systems and textbook discussions.

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